The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad al-Tayyeb, received on Wednesday a delegation of young members from the World Council of Churches, who came to learn about al-Azhar’s efforts in promoting dialogue, fraternity, and peace. His Eminence delivered a lecture on the concept of Islamic moderation and the importance of interfaith dialogue.
The Grand Imam emphasized that “All religions—without exception—carry a message of love and peace, and that none were ever meant to foster hatred, conflict, or division.” He affirmed that al-Azhar is deeply committed to promoting global peace and spares no effort to make it a tangible reality for all humanity. To that end, Al-Azhar has taken the initiative to extend hands of cooperation to its partners among churches and cultural and religious institutions around the world—among them the Vatican, the World Council of Churches, and the Middle East Council of Churches.
His Eminence added: “I have previously visited the World Council of Churches and met my brother, the late Pope Francis, on numerous occasions and during several dialogue conferences. Our joint efforts culminated in the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, which received wide international recognition. The United Nations later adopted the date of its signing—February 4th—as the International Day of Human Fraternity.”
His Eminence explained that al-Azhar’s mission is to promote peace both locally and globally. On the national level, this mission materializes in several initiatives, most importantly was the establishment of the Egyptian Family House (Bayt al-‘A’ila al-Misriyya), a pioneering initiative launched in cooperation with the Egyptian churches. Over the years, this experience has played a vital role in strengthening the spirit of cooperation, fraternity, and tolerance within Egyptian society and has served as an effective instrument for safeguarding national unity and social cohesion. He further noted that Al-Azhar has called for abandoning the term “minorities” and replacing it with “citizenship,” affirming that all individuals are equal in rights and dignity. To reinforce this principle, Al-Azhar convened the International al-Azhar Conference on Freedom and Citizenship in 2017.
His Eminence continued, emphasizing that today’s youth are entrusted with two essential responsibilities. The first is to believe that all religions share a single Divine source, that all Prophets are brethren, and that peace is the foremost objective of Divine revelation. The second is to understand that religions categorically prohibit killing and the shedding of blood—they were never causes of war, conflict, or violence. He stressed that the widespread claim in the West that religions are responsible for wars is unfounded and misleading. The devastating wars of the past centuries—foremost among them the First and Second World Wars, which claimed the lives of more than seventy million people—were not religious in nature but were driven by nationalism, racism, hatred, and other materialistic ideologies.
The Grand Imam stressed that hope still rests upon the youth of today to confront the meaningless wars that plague our world—wars from which many nations derive profit through the arms trade. He denounced the scenes of brutality and hatred we witness today—the killing of women, children, and the elderly—as acts so inhumane that they defy even the laws of the animal world. His Eminence urged young people to rise as ambassadors of peace, standing firmly against war and conflict wherever they appear.
The Grand Imam went on to explain that the fundamental crisis of modern civilization lies in its materialistic nature, which leaves little room for the moral values that sustain human life and harmony. The relentless pursuit of power, dominance, and profit—particularly through the sale of weapons—continues to silence the voice of ethics and peace. This, he noted, has naturally limited the reach of peace initiatives such as the Document on Human Fraternity. He reaffirmed that religious institutions across the world play an indispensable role in fostering peace and ending wars: “We have gathered, with our Christian and Jewish brothers—those who are just and untainted by Zionism—to issue the Document on Human Fraternity. Yet, it remains imperative for political decision-makers to join these efforts by establishing concrete mechanisms to translate such noble initiatives into reality.”
For their part, members of the WCC delegation expressed their great pleasure at meeting the Grand Imam and conveyed their deep appreciation for his extensive efforts alongside religious leaders around the world—particularly his partnership with the late Pope Francis—which culminated in the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity. They described this landmark declaration as a pioneering initiative that has profoundly strengthened the principles of peace, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence. The delegation affirmed that Al-Azhar has long stood as a distinguished intellectual beacon, championing peace and coexistence across the globe. They emphasized their continued commitment to listening to Al-Azhar’s voice as a trusted platform of moderation, balance, and tolerance, and pledged to work hand in hand with Al-Azhar in the shared service of humanity.